Paper-rack.



P. J. BUEHLER.

PAPER RACK.

APPLICATION FILED 001". 22, 1909.

Patented May 31, 1910.

Mum

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. I

PHILIP J. B'UEHLER, OF RITZVILLE, WASHINGTON.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PHILIP J. BUEHLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ritzville, in the county of Adams, State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in Pa er-Racks; and I do hereby declare-the fol owing to be a full, clear, and exact. description of the in vention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

'The present invention relates to im rove= ments in paper racks, and it has. or its chief object the production of an extremely simple and inexpensive device of that general type composed of a plurality of pivotally and slidably connected wire sections arranged one above each other, the several sections, being so constructed and proportioned with respect to each other as to be capable of being folded together and nested, as it were, when the device is not in use, whereby it may be packed in an exceedingly small space for shipping or similar purposes. I

To this end, the invention, briefly described, comprises a plurality of independent wire sections arranged one above the other in a vertical row, each section being in the form of a U-shaped member whose lower half is bent upwardly into spaced parallel relation with the upper half, the upper or free ends of the legs of each section being formed with eyes which loosely engage the legs-of the section next above. The width of the sections gradually decreases from the top to the bottom of the row, so as to permit the legs of each section to fit between those of the next higher section, the upwardly projecting bight portion of the latter section, 1n like manner, straddling that of the former section.

' The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a front elevation of a rack constructed in accordance with the present invention, the rack being shown in extended condition. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the rac c, with the sections thereof folded together.

Reference being had to said drawings, and to the designating characters marked thereon, the rack is shown as comprising a top or supporting section 5, and a series of paper engaging sections, in the present in- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 22, 1909. Serial No. 524,051.

which and said legs,

of the bight portions thereof.

stance three, 6, 7, and 8. Each of the latter SECtIOIIS is constructed from a single U- shaped strip of spring wire, whose arcuate lower or bight portion 9 is bent forwardly and upwardly into spaced parallel relation with t e legs 10 thereof, as shown in Fig. 2, said bent portion forming a. lip between the news or other papers are inserted. Each leg of'the' sections 7 and 8 terminates at its free end in a forward] and upwardly. inclined eye 11, the eyes ormed on the lower section 8 loosely engaging the adjacent legs of the section 7, while those of the latter section engage in a similar manner the legs of the section 6. The eyes 12 formed upon the legs of the last mentioned section are straight, and are engaged with the downwardly extending eyes 13 formed upon the ends of the supporting section 5. The eyes with which the sections" 8 and 7 are rovided are adapted to rest, when the rac is in its extended condition, upon the adjacent portions 14;, which connect the legs of the sections 7 and 6 to the ends (See Figs. 1 and 2).

The paper engaging sections of the rack gradually decrease in width, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the section 6 having the greatest width and the section 8 the least width, while the width of the central section 7 is intermediate that of said sections (3 and 8. This construction enables the legs of the bottom section to fit between those of the central section, when the rack is in folded or inoperative condition, and those of said central section to fit, in turn, between those of the section 6, the bi 'ht portion of the bottom section being straddled, so to speak, by that Patented May31, 1910. i

of the central section, this portion of the latter section being'straddledfin turn, by the corresponding portion of the next higher section 6.

The compactness of the folded device, and the ease with which the several sections thereof are moved, is increased by the inclination of the eyes 11, since the latter will move along the legs of the sections with which they are enga ed without causing the sections on which they are formed to assume an angular position. In other words,

this construction enables the sections 7 and 8 to be moved bodily in a straight line backward or forward.

The top or attaching section 5 comprises merely a pair of diverging legs 15 provided at theirpoint of intersection with an eye 16 and at their free or outer ends with the above mentioned eyes 13. This section is adapted to be folded backwardly against the section 6, when the rack is not in use.

What is claimed is:-'

1. A rack comprising a series of pivotally connected article engaging sections arranged in a vertical row; an an attaching section pivotally connected to the uppermost first named section, each of said first named sections being constructed of a U-shaped wire stri having its'bight portion bent forwardly an n wardly into spaced parallel relation with t e legs thereof to provide a retaining lip, each leg terminating in aneye slidably engaged with the adjacent leg of the section next above, the second named section comprising a wire strip bent to form a pair of iverging legs tersection with an eye, with e es, the last named eyes being engaged with t e e es formed upon the ends of the legs of sai uppermost first named section.

2. A rack comprising a pluralityof skeleton sections ivotally and slidably connected together and arranged one above the other in a vertical row, each section being constructed of a single wire strip bent upon itself to provide a retaining lip, said sections gra ually decreasing 1n width from the upper to the lower end of the row, whereby they ma be nested when the rack is not in use; an an attaching section pivotally con-' nected to the uppermost first named section. 3. A rackcomprisin a series of skeleton sections pivotally and s idably connected toprovided at their oint of inv and at their free ends gether and arran ed one above the other in a vertical row, eac section bein constructed of a U-shaped wire strip having its bight spaced parallel relation to the legs t ereof to provide a retaining lip, each leg terminatngm an eye slidably engaged, with the adacent leg of the section next above, the'eyes of certain of said sections being forwardly inclmed; and an attachin section ivotally 'permost first named section.

4. A rack comprisin a series of skeleton sections pivotally and s idably connected together and arran d one above the other in a vertical row; eac section being constructed of a U-shaped wire strip'havlng its bight portion bent upwardly and forwardly into spaced parallel relation to the legs thereof to provlde a retaining lip, each leg terminatng in an eye slida ly engaged with the adacent leg of the section next above, the eyes of certain of said sections bein forwardly inclined said sections gradually decreasing in width from the upper to the lower end of the row, whereby they may be nested together when the rack is not in use; and an attachingv section pivotally connectfirst named section.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature, m presence of two witnesses.

connected at its ends to t e eyes 0 the 'uped at its ends to the eyes of the uppermost.

portion bent upwardly and forwardl into 

